Jerry Seinfeld biography

Born in Brooklyn, Jerry Seinfeld credits his father, a commercial sign maker and a man known for his humor, for helping him develop an interest in comedy. Jerry first graduated from Queen's College, then began his comedy career as a struggling stand up comedian. To make ends meet, he took on a variety of jobs, including telemarketing and selling costume jewelry on the streets of New York.

Seinfeld's first big break was on a Rodney Dangerfield special on HBO in 1976. He honed his craft while appearing at the famed The Comic Strip in New York City. In 1981, his career got a further boost when he appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Appearances on other talk shows followed, as well as a recurring guest role on the sitcom Benson. However, when he was fired from that show, he vowed not to appear on a television series again until he had more control. He got his wish in 1990, when he teamed up with fellow comedian Larry David to create the show that would become Seinfeld. The sitcom ran for eight years and became one of the most successful television shows in history.

In 1999, Seinfeld married publicist Jessica Sklar. They have a daughter, Sascha.